Estee Lauder Double Wear

Partly due to the hot and humid conditions we have been experiencing here in the UK and partly because I have two summer wedding to attend, I decided to invest in a long lasting foundation and powder.

I have read rave reviews of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and Powder so decided to give it a try. I went to Debenhams and found that there is the normal Double Wear and there is also the Double Wear Light. I asked for samples of the shades that most suited my skin tone in both to test out at home (Double Wear – Rich Caramel and Double Wear Light – Intensity 05).

After four days testing I was completely and utterly sold on the original Double Wear in the shade Rich Caramel (£28.50). This shade is the exact colour match for me and wonderfully they do Double Wear Powders in exactly the same shades as the foundations so I got the powder in Rich Caramel too (£29.00).

The packaging as always is beautiful and sophisticated. The powder comes with a sponge applicator in the bottom section.

It is almost impossible to show the effects of this foundation. It is a heavier coverage than anything I tend to use and yet somehow ends up looking natural yet airbrushed and smooth. The powder for was a perfect match and just blurred all the imperfections and set everything beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asos Boucle Jacket

I finally gave in and got this jacket after seeing it featured in quite a few blogs! It was £35 from Asos which I think is quite a good price for this. The material is thicker than you think so isn’t really suitable for very hot days but perfect for the normal UK summer/spring/autumn as it is quite warm. I LOVE the colours. It definitely adds interest to a simple outfit!

Worn with New Look jeans and Cage Sandals above and with old Jigsaw dress and Primark belt and shoes below.

New Look Cage Sandals

Perfect summer shoe from New Look! Low wedge and so comfortable. £16.99. Not much more I can say except get them!! They also come in white, coral and silver.

Zara Skort

I know everyone in the “blogosphere” has got one of these so of course my curiosity got the better of me and I ordered a white pair from Zara.

As you can probably guess from the name this is across between a skirt and shorts. They are surprisignly flattering and very comfortable. The white is lovely for the summer and I am already lusting after a black pair to wear with tights in the winter. For £22.99 I think they are worth it.

Worn with New Look t-shirt and Whistles Kir Royale Ankle Boots (throughout).

With Next top (in the sale for £12).

With H&M blouse.

Eyelash Extensions – Goodbye Mascara!

A very dear friend was getting married and I decided I would give eyelash extensions a try for her wedding! So off I went to a local salon to have them done. It took about half an hour and very little discomfort. The lovely lady put a protective “pad” over my lower lashes and proceeded to glue false lashes to my existing lashes. She chose how many and what length. All I said was not too flashy but enough to see a difference.

So the picture below is me with my normal lashes and some mascara.

and this is with extensions …

I LOVE them!!!

They feel a bit weird after first application. They are quite hard and feel almost plastic. You have to be quite careful when cleansing your face so not to rub or use oils or generally get too rough! You cant wear mascara with these but you don’t need to! They fall out naturally with your lashes and are meant to last up to a month.

Mine cost me £19 in a local salon (I found a deal) but they would normally be £30 and £15 for infills which are recommended after 2-4 weeks.

I think they look amazing. My face feels transformed and my eyes just pop. I found that I am wearing less makeup overall. Not having to wear mascara is a bonus – less time cleansing etc. but I do miss it just a bit!!

Would I have these done again – YES! I do however worry about my real lashes and whether they would somehow weaken them? I think I will probably only have this for special occasions but it is a definite must try!

White Company – Sparkle Pocket Cardigans

I found these beautiful “sparkle pocket” drape cardigans in the sale in the White Company recently. They are a linen-cotton blend cardigan with sparkle pockets! I got both the taupe and navy and they have become an everyday staple in my wardrobe.

They were reduced from £75 to £30. They wash easily and hold their shape well. They only had one size of each left in my local branch so I ended up with the large in taupe and the small in navy! Doesn’t seem to make a huge difference!

Great timeless piece at bargain prices!

Taupe cardigan worn above with New Look jeans and in second picture with old Jigsaw dress, Primark belt and shoes.

Navy cardigan worn below with shorts I bought at the Isle of Wight festival and Whistles ankle boots.

Chanel – Soleil Tan

First of all I LOVE all of CHANEL’s  makeup – which girl wouldn’t!

This product is one of my all time favourite products that I have been using for almost a decade (yes!). It is the Soleil Tan (£31) previously known as Bronze Universel.

The Soleil Tan is a “light cream-gel bronzer” which for those of you with a paler complexion will give a light tanned/bronzed look. Lisa Eldridge has used this in a few of her videos and also did a great video for CHANEL on how to use this.

For me this is like a second skin but better. By sheer luck this is the exact same colour as my skin so it just melts in and gives me a gorgeous glowy finish. The consistency is somewhere between a solid and cream gel. It is just beautiful to apply and lasts really well.

I love everything about this – even the packaging is beautiful! If you are looking for a luxury bronzer or skin perfector (in my case) look no further!

Skin Refining Trio

I have begun to stick to a routine of using these three products regularly for about 2 months now and have definitely noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin. In particular I have noticed that a few of my blemish scars which were quite dark have faded which I am really pleased about.

First in the trio is the Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion. I got this when I was in Malaysia last year to try it out (you can get this on eBay and other sites). I used to avoid all Asian products with the words “whitening” because well to be honest I didn’t want to lighten my skin colour. I have since discovered that many of these whitening products have ingredients that are labelled as “brightening” in the UK – Arbutin is one of them. According to Hada Labo this product:

• Contains Arbutin to fight dark spots. Smoothes & clarifies to optimize skin’s radiance & translucency.
• Vitamin C helps skin recover from accumulated sun damage while reducing the appearance of dark spots to give clearer, fairer skin.
• Contains Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate intensely, keeping skin soft & supple.
• Skin pH balanced. Low irritation.
• Free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol & colorant.

The lotion is like a light milky almost water-like consistency that you apply to your skin post cleansing but before moisturising. You are meant to pat it on rather than rub it in. I like the texture of this and it absorbs really quickly. You only need a really small amount – a few drops really, which means the bottle can last ages. I tend to only use this in the morning.

After applying the Arbutin lotion I use the L’Oreal Youth Code Luminize Day Cream (about £11). I used to use the serum version of this and loved it so thought I would try the day cream as I needed something a bit more moisturising. I like this day cream, its not too heavy and has a lovely silky texture. This also absorbs really well without leaving any greasiness. It has a very very subtle shimmer to it but to be honest I can barely see it.

These two form my daytime routine and at night I use the Alpha-H Liquid Gold at least two or three times a week depending on the condition of my skin. Alpha-H Liquid Gold is described as “a powerful resurfacing and firming treatment for diminishing wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage. It works to jump start the skin’s metabolism, tightening enlarged pores and giving a brighter, clearer complexion.”

You are meant to apply Liquid Gold using a cotton pad to cleansed face, neck and décolletage, avoiding the eye and lip areas. For best results, it is advised that you do not use a night cream, but instead allow Liquid Gold to work “uninterrupted”.

It feels a bit tingly when you apply it but that stops quite quickly. I find it really weird to not moisturise afterwards but have stuck to their recommendation and have to say somehow it doesnt leave your skin feeling tight. This stuff is quite strong and they recommend using an SPF on your face during the day.

Overall I think this trio has really helped my skin recover from some minor scarring and had generally improved the overall look and texture of my skin. Would highly recommend all three!